1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable electronic display unit for receiving and storing data from any selected computer, and for displaying stored data on command but without the user""s possibility of changing the stored data in any way.
The present display unit is a retrieval and display-only device for electronic image data that has already been stored elsewhere, such as in any of central database, single computer or another unit that might be present in an office or school. As such, it answers the need for a simplified, portable, display only device capable of accessing data from multiple sources without the complexities attendant to a personal computer designed for many functions besides reading data from other computers. Multiple units in one environment increase the ease of information dissemination.
2. Prior Art
Electronic books are disclosed in the following U.S. patents: Rubincam U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,417 and Gaston U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,048. In Rubincam the digitally encoded contents of a book are stored in a memory which is removably insertable into the housing of the electronic book. In Gaston the electronic book is plugged into a mated downloading stand from which the encoded contents of a book are downloaded into the electronic book.
Yianilos U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,831 discloses a device having a display screen, an electronic memory with compressed text, and a keyboard for formulating words that are to be searched in that text for display on the screen along with adjoining words as they occur in the text. Borssuk U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,399 discloses a relatively thick, box-like device with a display screen, various keys for controlling the screen display, including keys to change the font size, and an insert port for receiving a memory, such as an EPROM, microfloppy or CD ROM.
The present display unit is designed for the input of data stored in any computer, whether the user""s or anyone else""s to which the user has authorized access, for read-only display by the user at his or her convenience. In a large office it reduces paperwork by providing a convenient, paper-less way for a worker to access and read the contents of files from a central data base or network.
Preferably, the present display unit is a thin, flat device of substantially the same size as a standard letter-size sheet of paper, so the user""s experience with this device approaches the familiar xe2x80x9clook-and-feelxe2x80x9d of actually reading paper documents.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and simplified display unit for enabling the user to conveniently read data stored in its internal memory but with no possibility of altering that data in any way. The user has mobile access to files, and information without carrying xe2x80x9cpaper files.xe2x80x9d
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, shown in the accompanying drawings.